Maintenance for road bridges in Germany is characterized by a reactive approach; interventions are only carried out when damage is visible on the surface. In the future, predictive life cycle management with the help of digital twins should increase availability, safety, and sustainability. Fiber optic sensors may serve as a useful tool for advancing along this path. The potentials and challenges were compiled through literature research, consolidation of work by the Federal Highway and Transport Research Institute, and an exchange with those responsible for the structure. As a result, three areas of application for fiber optic sensors were identified: Impact monitoring, monitoring of damage and calculative deficits and non-event-related use throughout the entire life cycle of road bridges to derive relevant maintenance parameters. For the last area of application, there is potential for reference measurements after construction and the continuous collection of characteristic values to determine the condition of the structure. The conclusion is that the existing potential of fiber optic sensors has not yet been sufficiently exploited by those responsible for the structures, and that research questions regarding the durability of the sensor technology and standardized application, among other things, need to be clarified.